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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22907458">Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicandDancingThroughLife/pseuds/MusicandDancingThroughLife'>MusicandDancingThroughLife</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All For The Game - Nora Sakavic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, M/M, Probably ooc, Sappy, songfic?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 14:14:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>796</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22907458</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicandDancingThroughLife/pseuds/MusicandDancingThroughLife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Neil finds himself struggling, Andrew is there to be his anchor.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I re-read this, and it's almost definitely OOC, but please just be nice to me and enjoy the fluff. It was one of the first fics I ever wrote/posted, and believe me, I'm very aware of my flaws lol. And in all honesty, these boys are harder than the ones I usually write. :P Very complex characters.</p><p>Also, the song is called "This Must Be the Place", I think originally by Talking Heads, but I adore the Lumineers version :) Please listen to it if you've never heard it!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a hard day. Despite spending most of his time at the court with Andrew and Kevin, it was impossible for Neil to forget that today marked a year since Lola had found him. Since his father had come up to him. Since his father had died. Since his father had tried to mutilate him to keep him from ever playing again. </p><p>Neil felt a shudder run through him. He made an attempt to focus, but it was hard with nothing to distract him. Andrew had stepped out to help Nicky and Aaron with something (albeit grudgingly) and no way in hell could you get him to do his homework. Not today. He closed his eyes and regretted it almost immediately, as images and memories became clearer. Lola torturing him in the car, his father threatening him. Burning the car, his mother’s lifeless corpse inside of it. His head swam and tears sprung to his eyes. His body – with muscles aching from the intense practice it’d endured earlier – started to shiver. When he started to shake so hard his muscles screamed in protest, he was able to clear his head for a few minutes. But they persisted. Just as his father had never given up on finding him, neither would these memories.</p><p>Suddenly Neil felt a cold hand on the back of his neck. It was familiar, comforting. He relaxed against the weight, knowing without even looking that this was Andrew. They remained that way for a few terse minutes before Andrew caught Neil’s hands and tugged him up, forcing him to stand. They were pressed close, and Neil tried to step back, to give him more space and room, but Andrew held on tight. Neil looked at him in confusion and surprise, still breathing a little too heavy. “I want to try something. Yes or no?” </p><p>Neil didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes.” He did, however, have to stop himself from adding ‘Please’. But the idea was still there.</p><p>Without taking his eyes off of Neil, as if he were afraid he would disappear, Andrew pulled his phone up and hit a few buttons. Soon gentle guitars were strumming through the small speakers, and Andrew pulled Neil just a little closer before tossing his phone onto the floor.</p><p>“Home is where I want to be<br/>
Pick me up and turn me round,”</p><p>Andrew’s hands rearranged Neil’s. He moved one into Andrew’s hair, the look in his eyes warning him not to move it from that spot. Neil nodded, swallowing slightly. His other hand was tightly grasped in Andrew’s, and Andrew’s other hand hesitantly settled itself on Neil’s hip. At the touch, Neil closed his eyes with a small gasp, and Andrew squeezed his gently to get him to open his eyes again.</p><p>“I go numb, born with a weak heart<br/>
I guess we must be having fun.”</p><p>The two of them slowly rotated around the room. Moving away from the couch and the table, into a more open space. With the soft crooning and gentle music playing in the background, and Andrew here in his arms, willing holding him close and moving with him, Neil finally was almost able to forget the horrors of his past. Almost. Andrew’s hand was stroking his own, and as Neil looked at the scars on his hand, he could feel the darkness creeping back in.</p><p>Andrew must’ve noticed the shadow cross his face again, because he pulled Neil even closer, their bodies pushed together. He leaned his face down towards Neil’s and asked again, “Yes or no?”</p><p>“Out of all those kinds of people<br/>
You got a face with a view.”</p><p>Neil’s answer was nothing more than a whisper against Andrew’s lips as he responded with a breathless “Yes.” Andrew closed the gap between them and kissed him. All Neil could see, all he could feel or smell, was Andrew. Even the music was screaming Andrew. There was only Andrew. And they continued to move together. Dancing, slowly rotating, swaying, and the whole time, never taking their eyes off of each other.</p><p>“I’m just an animal looking for a home<br/>
And share the same space for a minute or two.”</p><p>Andrew’s eyes were hard and unflinching, face ass unchanging as ever. But Neil could sense the tenderness underneath all of that. He could feel how vulnerable they both were in this moment, how hard it was for both of them to even try to accept this, but they kept moving together regardless. They had trust in each other, and that was already more than enough.</p><p>“And you love me ‘till my heart stops<br/>
Love me ‘till I’m dead.<br/>
Eyes light up, I see through you<br/>
Cover up your blank spot hit me on the head”</p>
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